In recent weeks, a growing number of states have dropped Jefferson and Jackson from traditional events. The list includes Georgia, Missouri, and, here in New England, Connecticut, where party leaders, encouraged by the state NAACP, plan to announce a new name for their dinner sometime later this year. The New Hampshire Democratic Party is considering a similar change, and Maine party leaders have decided to follow suit.

“We are beginning the process to make a change to the name. There’s been a lot of national momentum behind this,” said Jeremy Kennedy, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party. “There are a lot of really justified reasons to do so.”

Jefferson-Jackson dinners have been a Democratic Party tradition for decades, serving as venues for raising money, honoring local party leaders, and, in the case of early primary states like New Hampshire, showcasing presidential hopefuls like Paul Tsongas in 1991, John Kerry in 2006, and, in 2013, Martin O’Malley. Last year, the keynote speaker was former president Bill Clinton.